Paul Scholes, 37, began this rout, Nick Powell, 18, closed it. The bookends to this canter of a win were provided by the evergreen operator who still drives United's present and the teenager on debut whose ability could lead himself, and the club, to a honeyed future.

Sir Alex Ferguson has no doubt. "Powell is going to be a really good player who, we hope, will fill Paul Scholes's boots in terms of he's got terrific vision, good temperament, two great feet, is quick and is a great striker of the ball," he told MUTV.

The quest to become the new Scholes sounds about as appealing as being on the receiving end of the "hairdryer" from six inches. However, Ferguson's post-match words offer Powell a clever compliment that works as motivation to keep on performing as he did in an 18-minute cameo crowned by the 25-yard humdinger that gave Ali al-Habsi no chance.

As impressive were the slick passes and simple touches that slotted Powell instantly into the passing carousel. Signed from Crewe Alexandra for £2.6m in the summer, he told MUTV: "It's great to make my debut. To then cap it off with a goal is what I've been working for. Dario [Gradi, Crewe's director of football] used to say my game isn't just attacking and defending, it's about goals as well, and I proved that last season and hopefully I can do that for United.

"When I first came on it scared me a little bit, to be fair, because I'm only used to 5,000 people now and then, but it's a great atmosphere – the fans are great. It wasn't the hardest game because they made it easier for me but I'm happy to be on the pitch getting minutes."

Powell has joined one of football's finest finishing schools. In Ferguson's starting XI were Scholes, making a 700th United appearance, Rio Ferdinand (400th), and Ryan Giggs (the 600th in the Premier League), while for Ferguson – the wisest of the lot – this was a 500th home league game, and the 600th league win of a supreme managerial career.

Powell said: "I learn every day, especially from the midfielders – Scholes, [Michael] Carrick, Giggsy – they're all great, they've all been through it and won trophies. That's what I want to do, so I hope to learn off them every day."

The afternoon was marred by a small minority of United fans' anti-Liverpool chants – which United later "deplored". It is expected that the club's chief executive, David Gill, will meet Liverpool's managing director, Ian Ayre, to discuss ways to minimise the tension between the two clubs before the meeting on Sunday at Anfield.

But Saturday provided the kind of goal glut Ferguson is determined will indemnify the club from again losing the championship on goal difference, as they did last season to Manchester City. The Scot will glow knowing that Roberto Martínez's team were dispatched with a side missing Wayne Rooney, Shinji Kagawa (an unused substitute) and Robin van Persie, who came on as a late replacement.

Rooney had praised the club's new firepower before kick-off. Speaking of himself, Van Persie, Kagawa, Danny Welbeck, who won a controversial sixth-minute penalty, and Javier Hernández, who saw his subsequent spot-kick saved by Habsi, the Liverpudlian told United Review: "Its quite similar to when we had Nani, [Cristiano] Ronaldo [and Carlos] Tevez.

"We've Danny who can play out wide and up front. Chicharito is one of the best at running in behind and then there's Van Persie, who's a well-proven goalscorer. Obviously I have my own qualities and I hope as soon as I'm backplaying [from a leg injury]I can bring those to the team and help us to win games. Kagawa can play in midfield, up front or off the striker, as well as out wide."

Hernández made up for missing the penalty with a 63rd-minute goal, his first of the season, after being played in by Alex Büttner, the left-back also on debut. The Dutchman's impressive bow also came with a goal: a run that beat four Wigan players before the ball was crashed past Habsi, who might have done better.

While Büttner got his chance because of an injury to Patrice Evra, Martínez bemoaned Welbeck's theatrics to win the penalty and the performance of Michael Oliver, the referee. "It was the completely wrong decision," he said. "I can only go on our experiences – last year we had a player sent off that was rescinded straight away, two years ago we had two players sent off. I feel it's a difficult place for referees. They need to be strong, they need to be very experienced."